Church musicians battle Saturday in Rockford to raise funds for immigrants' legal fees

ROCKFORD — They’ll sing for legal fees Saturday at Court Street United Methodist Church, where organizers hope a Battle of the Church Bands will raise money so immigrants can get an attorney’s advice.

Justice for Our Neighbors, a group formed through the Northern Illinois United Methodist Church, will sponsor the event from 3 to 5 p.m. at the church, 215 N. Court St. The event is open to the public and a donation basket will be passed.

More than 20 musicians will perform during the benefit.

Immigrants, especially illegal aliens, need a variety of legal services. But they are vulnerable to scams, especially ones that promise to increase the odds of securing a green card, according to the Better Business Bureau. Schemes include a lottery that purports to help someone’s chances in getting a visa, fees for visa applications the government provides for free or fees for other services advertised on the Internet.

“They hear about legal help and pay $1,000 or $10,000, thinking they’re getting a green card. But it’s a scam,” said Stanley Campbell, executive director of Rockford Urban Ministries.

Campbell said most immigrants don’t have money to pay an attorney. So Justice for Our Neighbors pays to bring a lawyer once a month to Court Street United Methodist where people can get cases reviewed and receive free legal advice.

“This was set up as a way to address the needs of these folks, who face many kinds of legal issues,” Campbell said.